Combination table and ladder



F. x. RATKOVIC. COMBINATION TABLE AND LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1921- V Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- H/Z' I J/fl /a fl 'i.

49 25 m /6 A9 f 'm l 6 a /a 26/ 22 7 as 20 WITNESS:

F. X. RATKOVIC.

COMBINATION TABLE AND LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24, [921- 1,408, 39 8 I Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

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WITNESS:

FRANK X. nn'rxovrd, or E'IN'A, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINATION TABDE AND LADDER.-

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 28, 192 2.

Application Med January 24,1921. Serial No. 439,549.

T aall whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK X. RATKovIo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Etna, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combination Tables and Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combination fur niture, and more particularly to a combination' table and ladder.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a combination table and ladder which, in normal condition, presents aneat appearance and is well adapted for use as a table. A further object is to provide a piece of furniture of the character stated which, when extended, provides a ladder which is effectively braced and possesses the desired strength and rigidity. Another object is to provide a combination table and ladder of simple construction and operation which may be readily converted intoeither a table or ladder, as desired. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a combination table and ladder constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail partly insection showing the" means for supporting one of the end boards of the table frame.

Figure 4 isa side view showing the ladder extended. I

Figure 5 is an end view showing the ladder in front elevation. p V r In constructing the combination table and ladder I provide a suitable frame 1 consisting of legs 2 which are permanently connected at their upper ends by side boards 3 and an end board 4. The other end board 5 of the table is supported by arms 6 which are pivoted at? to legs 2 so as to permit the end board 5 to be swung downwardly. Each of arms 6 is provided in its inner edge with two spaced slots 8 the upper one of which is adapted to engage about a headed screw 9 secured in table leg 2 so as to hold end board 5 in raised position.

A top plate 10 is normally supported by the end and side boards, and two supplemental plates 11 are mounted in each side of the main plate 10. A lower ladder section 12 is secured to the under face of plate 10 and extends substantially the full distance between end boards 4 and 5. An upper ladder section 13 is hinged at one end, at 14 to section 12, the hinge being positioned adjacent to end board 5. Section 12 is pivoted by means of screws 15 passed through stringers 16to side boards 3 so as toturn about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the table. A gravity latch 17 is pivoted on one of the str1ngers 18 of upper ladder section 13 and is adapted, when the ladder is folded, to enga e over a stud 19 secured to stringer 16 of section 12 thus holding section 13 in raised or folded position. A brace bar 20 is hinged at 21 to the other end of lower section 13, and is provided at itsgfree end with two spaced plates 22 adapted to engage'about a reduced portion 4 of end board 4 when the ladder is extended, as in Figure 4.

When the ladder is folded as in Figure 2 sections 12and 13 fit snugly together and are positioned within the end and side boards so as not to be visible, brace bar 20 being supported in raised position by across bar 23 secured to the side boards 3. Downward movement of plate 10 when in normal position is prevented by angle brackets 24secured to the plate and fitting into recesses formed in the supplemental plates 11.

\Vhenit is desired to use the ladder, plate 10 is turned upwardly andoutwardly about pivot members 15, the end board 5 being first swung downwardly from beneath the end of the plate. When this is done the end of plate 10 remote from hinge 14 rests upon the' supporting surface or floor, at which time latch 17 is moved by gravity out of engagement with pin or stud 19. The upper ladder section 13 is then turned so as to extend from the upper end of section 12 in substantial alignment therewith, as in Figure 4, aft-er'w'hich thebrace bar 20 is positioned so that the plates 22 engage about thereduced portion 4' of end board 4, this bar serving to v effectively support the upper end of section 13. As will be noted more clearly from Figure 4, the upper end of lower section 12 is positioned an appreciable distance from the upper end of plate 10 and serves to brace of section 12 against upward movement. When it is desired to convert the articleinto a table, upper section 13 and brace bar are folded together and then turneddownwardly onto lower section 12, latch 17 being moved into engagementover stud19, after which end board 5 is raised upwardly and project upwardly beyond stringers 18 and are so positioned as to fit between the flights of the lower section. By arranging the flights in thismanner'it is possible to have flights of appreciable-width while also permitting folding together of the'ladder sections so as to occupy a minimum of space and be'positioned within the end and side boards of thetable frame, the table when thus folded presented afneat appearance. Also, if desired though not necessarily, a strip 27 is secured to the innerface of end board 4: and serves to support the ladder sections so as to relieve plate 10 of unnecessary strain. r I An article of furniture-constructed'in the manner illustrated and described provides a table of neat appearance and great strength and a ladder which may be readily extended and is effectively braced for use. As will be understood, slight changes in de tails of construction and arrangement of parts of the invention may be resorted to without departing from'the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which a preferred form onlyof'my invention is disclosed,

What I claim is 1. In combination with a a frame and a top plate, a lower laddersection permanently secured to the under face of said plate in substantial parallelism therewith and pivoted to the frameforturning'movement about'an axis extending transversely of. the frame, and an upper ladder section'hinged to said lower section.

2.- In combination with axtable including a frame having side boards, and a top-plate,

table including,

a lowerlad-der section secured to the under connected;-to the lower section so as to be moved into substantial parallelism therewith o'r into substantial alignment with said lower section, optionally. 3.. In combination with a table frame having side boards and provided at'one end with an end board, a top plate, a-ladder sec tion secured to the under face ofsaid plate and-pivoted between the side boards, means for preventing downward movement of the top plate when in normal position, and a second laddersection hinged at one end to the end of the first mentioned section adjacent to the other end of said frame. 4. In combination with a table frame having side boards and provided atone end with anend board, atop plate, a ladder section-secured to the" under face of said plate, an end board atthe other endof the frame, a ladder section hinged at one end to the end of the first mentioned ladder section adjacent to the second mentioned end board, the first mentioned ladder section being pivoted between the side boards of the frame and'both-ofsaid laddersections-being adapted to fit within said side. and end boards, means for supporting said second mentioned end jboard'so as to permit the same to be moved downwardly from beneath the top plate, and means carried by the top plate andcooperating'with the means for supporting the second mentioned end board for'securing said top plate against upward movement about its pivotal axis.

'5. In combination with a table frame having side boards, a top plate, a ladder section securedto the under face of said top plate and pivoted between the side boards, a second ladder section hinged at one'end to one en-dof the first mentioned section, the flights of the ladder sections projecting beyond the stringers and being so related that the flights of each section fit between the flights of the other section when said sections are in folded position, a brace barhinged to the otherend of the second mentioned'section, means for holding said second mentioned section raised when the ladder-is folded, and means for holding 'said brace bar raised when the ladder is folded and the top plate is in normal osition; i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

- FRANK X. RATKOVIC. 

